Device for clamping a bundle of paper

ABSTRACT

For the transfer of a bundle of paper, the end of the paper bundle is grasped and drawn by a clamp device. By utilizing the flexibility of the paper bundle, clamping pressure required is made as low as possible so as to protect the end portion of the bundle. A lower clamp seat for contact with the lowermost surface of the paper bundle is inclined downward toward the end of the paper bundle, while a pressing portion of an upper clamp seat for pressing the upper surface of the bundle is positioned closer to the end of the bundle than the highest portion of the lower clamp seat.

United States Patent 1 i 1 i l I 1 DEVICE FOR CLAMPING A BUNDLE OF PAPER 1 Claim, 2 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 24/262 R,

24/263 PJ Int. Cl A44b 21/00 Field of Search 24/243.12,

243.14, 262 R, 262 GC, 263 R, 263 P], 67, 262, I

Primary ExaminerDonald A. Griffin AttorneyMason, Fenwick & Lawrence ABSTRACT: For the transfer of a bundle of paper, the end of the paper bundle is grasped and drawn by a clamp device. By utilizing the flexibility of the paper bundle, clamping pressure required is made as low as possible so as to protect the end portion of the bundle. A lower clamp seat for contact with the lowermost surface of the paper bundle is inclined downward toward the end of the paper bundle, while a pressing portion of an upper clamp seat for pressing the upper surface of the bundle is positioned closer to the end of the bundle than the highest portion of the lower clamp seat.

PATENTEDSEP 797i 3,602,961

lrwenlor: SswASH\Bn-rA,AM|1-osmYAMAsAm \SOKA'LU Sumoua Attorney 9 DEVICE FOR CLAMPING A BUNDLE OF PAPER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a clamp device by which a bundle of paper is clamped at its end portion and drawn to a desired position for transference. In the present specification and claims, sheets of paper piled up to a certain thickness and bound together in a bundle is referred to as a bundle of paper or paper bundle.

In cases where a bundle of paper to be transferred is clamped at its end portion and drawn, it is not desirable to increase the clamping force on the paper bundle because the clamping force, when too great, tends to mar the end portion of the paper bundle with the clamp jaws and make a dent thereon, whereas when the clamping pressure is too small the intermediate portion of the paper bundle other than the uppermost and the lowermost sheets is liable to slip off the clamp device due to inertia the moment the paper bundle is drawn. Since such slipping-off becomes more likely to take placewith an increase in the paper transfer speed, it is impossible to transfer paper bundles at a high speed. The same situation is also experienced with an increase in the weight of the paper bundle. That is to say, the greater the weight of the paper bundle, the greater is the tendency for the slipping-off to take place.

The present invention contemplates provision of a device for clamping a bundle of paper in which the drawbacks described are eliminated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a clamp device which is capable of grasping the end portion of a bundle of paper with high reliability and by which the paper bundle can be drawn without being sipped off.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a clamp device which does not require an especially great clamping force in gripping the end portion of the paper bundle and which does not mar or make a dent on theend portion of the paper bundle.

The present device for clamping a bundle of paper comprises a lower clamp seat for receiving the under surface of end portion of the paper bundle, an upper clamp seat for pressing the upper surface of end portion of the paper bundle and a guide rod for guiding the upper clamp seat which is adapted to be moved upward or downward relative to the lower clamp seat, the lower clamp seat being provided with a seat face formed with a slanting plane which is inclined gradually downward toward the end of the paper bundle, the upper clamp seat being provided with a pressing portion for pressing the end portion of the paper bundle against the lower clamp seat, the pressing portion being disposed closer to the end of the paper bundle than the highest portion of the inclined plane of the lower clamp seat.

When the end portion of a bundle of paper is placed on the lower clamp seat and is pressed by the upper clamp seat, the end portion of the bundle is bent along the face of the lower clamp seat, the position of the paper bundle being such that the paper is bent in a gently curved form at the forward end, namely at the highest portion of the lower clamp seat. Since the upper clamp seat holds the upper surface of the paper bundle atthe portion which is positioned closer to the end of the paper bundle than the highest point of the bent portion, the friction force to be exerted between the adjacent sheets of the paper when the paper bundle is drawn by the clamp device is greatest at the bent portion, so that the slippage of one sheet relative to another is precluded even if the pressure exerted by the upper clamp seat is not particularly high. Furthermore, when the paper bundle is drawn by the clamp device, the paper bundle is prevented from being slipped off because the lowermost sheet of the paper is also bent into snug contact with the lower clamp seat. The above-mentioned friction force which increases in accordance with the increase in the thickness of the paper bundle and accordingly with the increase in the weight thereof further serves to prevent the paper bundle from being slipped off. The fact that the upper clamp seat has only to bend the end portion of the paper into contact with the face of the lower clamp seat also eliminates a particular need to increase the clamping force. This is useful in fulfilling the object to preclude damage or dents on the end portion of the paper bundle which would otherwise be caused by the clamping engagement.

In addition, the present invention including no complex elements serves to provide a device which is simple in construction.

In the case where the clamp seats are formed of an elastic material such as rubber, it is possible to effect desired clamping action with smaller force. Since the present invention is highly reliable in its clamping operation, a wide variety of paper bundles can be handled regardless of the thickness and weight of the bundles, while paper bundles can be transferred at higher speeds. With an automatic paper feeding apparatus, for instance, it is possible to improve the duty cycle of the feeding operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, designated at I is a lower jaw provided with an upright guide rod 2 at its one end. An upper jaw 3 is supported on the guide rod 2 at one end in vertically movable manner. By means of an operating rod 4 extending from the upper face of the upper jaw 3, the upper jaw 3 is moved upward or downward relative to the lower jaw 3.

A lower clamp seat 5 made of a suitable material such as a rubber pad is fixed to the upper face of the lower jaw I. The lower clamp seat 5 is so constructed that it has the greatest height at an end which is most away from the guide rod 2, the height being gradually decreased toward the guide rod 2, namely toward the end of the paper bundle A so as to provide an inclined plane 6.

Fixed to the under face of the upper jaw 3 is an upper clamp seat 7 which is made of a suitable material or the same material as the lower clamp seat 5. The pressing portion 8 of the upper clamp seat 7 at which the pressure is exerted on the paper bundle A is positioned closer to the guide rod 2, namely toward the end of the paper bundle A than the highest portion 9 of the lower clamp 5.

The end portion of the paper bundle A is placed on the upper face of the lower clamp seat 5 and pressed against the clamp seat 5 by the upper clamp seat 7. Since the upper clamp seat 7 presses the paper end portion at the position 8, the end portion of the paper bundle A is bent along the inclined plane 6 of the lower clamp seat 5 and clamped as shown in FIG. 2. Unless the upper clamp seat 7 is moved upward from the position shown in H6. 2, the friction force to be exerted between the respective adjacent sheets of paper attributable to the bent position and the friction force to be exerted on the lowermost surface of the paper bundle A on the upper face of lower clamp seat 5 are great enough to resist the force with which the clamp device is drawn in the direction of an arrow Y, so that there is no particular need to increase the clamping force when the clamp device is drawn.

We claim:

1. A device for clamping a bundle of papers comprising a lower clamp seat having a lower seat face formed of elastic material for receiving the under surface of an edge portion of a paper bundle, an upper clamp seat having an upper seat face formed of elastic material for pressing the upper surface of the edge portion of the paper bundle toward the lower seat face, a

LII

pressing surface formed at the intersection of a horizontal planar portion and an upwardly extending arcuate surface for pressing the edge portion of the paper bundle downwardly against said lower clamp seat, said pressing portion being disposed closer to the guide rod and said edge of the paper bundle than said highest point of the upper surface of said lower seat face. 

1. A device for clamping a bundle of papers comprising a lower clamp seat having a lower seat face formed of elastic material for receiving the under surface of an edge portion of a paper bundle, an upper clamp seat having an upper seat face formed of elastic material for pressing the upper surface of the edge portion of the paper bundle toward the lower seat face, a guide rod extending upwardly from said clamp seat for guiding said upper clamp seat which is mounted on said guide rod for movement in a vertical direction along the length of said guide rod toward and away from said lower clamp seat, said lower seat face having an upwardly facing upper surface in the form of an inclined plane sloping upwardly from a point adjacent said guide rod and smoothly merging at its highest point into a curved downwardly extending surface, said upper seat face having a downward facing lower surface including a paper pressing surface formed at the intersection of a horizontal planar portion and an upwardly extending arcuate surface for pressing the edge portion of the paper bundle downwardly against said lower clamp seat, said pressing portion being disposed closer to the guide rod and said edge of the paper bundle than said highest point of the upper surface of said lower seat face. 